diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_chart.yaml b/.github/workflows/test_chart.yaml
index 4b6dc7593..97ec9b999 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_chart.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_chart.yaml
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: helm/kind-action@v1.9.0
         with:
           cluster_name: kind
-          node_image: kindest/node:v1.30.0
+          node_image: kindest/node:v1.30.4
 
       - name: Add local docker image
         run: kind load docker-image ${{ env.MANIFEST_IMG }}:${{ env.TAG }}
diff --git a/hack/ensure-kubectl.sh b/hack/ensure-kubectl.sh
index 04e8c5f89..5a73940ca 100755
--- a/hack/ensure-kubectl.sh
+++ b/hack/ensure-kubectl.sh
@@ -26,20 +26,26 @@ fi
 source "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/utils.sh"
 
 GOPATH_BIN="$(go env GOPATH)/bin/"
-MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION=v1.30.0
+MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION=v1.30.4
 goarch="$(go env GOARCH)"
 goos="$(go env GOOS)"
 
 # Ensure the kubectl tool exists and is a viable version, or installs it
 verify_kubectl_version() {
 
+  local kubectl_version
+  IFS=" " read -ra kubectl_version <<< "$(kubectl version --client || echo 'v0.0.0')"
+
   # If kubectl is not available on the path, get it
-  if ! [ -x "$(command -v kubectl)" ]; then
+  if ! [ -x "$(command -v kubectl)" ] || [[ "${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}" != $(echo -e "${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}\n${kubectl_version[2]}" | sort -s -t. -k 1,1 -k 2,2n -k 3,3n | head -n1) ]]; then
     if [ "$goos" == "linux" ] || [ "$goos" == "darwin" ]; then
       if ! [ -d "${GOPATH_BIN}" ]; then
         mkdir -p "${GOPATH_BIN}"
       fi
-      echo 'kubectl not found, installing'
+
+      echo "kubectl not found or below ${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}, installing"
+      echo "Updating to ${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}."
+
       curl -sLo "${GOPATH_BIN}/kubectl" "https://dl.k8s.io/release/${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}/bin/${goos}/${goarch}/kubectl"
       chmod +x "${GOPATH_BIN}/kubectl"
       verify_gopath_bin
@@ -48,17 +54,6 @@ verify_kubectl_version() {
       return 2
     fi
   fi
-
-  local kubectl_version
-  IFS=" " read -ra kubectl_version <<< "$(kubectl version --client)"
-  if [[ "${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}" != $(echo -e "${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION}\n${kubectl_version[2]}" | sort -s -t. -k 1,1 -k 2,2n -k 3,3n | head -n1) ]]; then
-    cat <<EOF
-Detected kubectl version: ${kubectl_version[2]}.
-Requires ${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION} or greater.
-Please install ${MINIMUM_KUBECTL_VERSION} or later.
-EOF
-    return 2
-  fi
 }
 
 install_plugins() {
diff --git a/scripts/kind-cluster-with-extramounts.yaml b/scripts/kind-cluster-with-extramounts.yaml
index f108af76b..a1d516577 100644
--- a/scripts/kind-cluster-with-extramounts.yaml
+++ b/scripts/kind-cluster-with-extramounts.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ apiVersion: kind.x-k8s.io/v1alpha4
 name: capi-test
 nodes:
 - role: control-plane
-  image: kindest/node:v1.30.0
+  image: kindest/node:v1.30.4
   extraMounts:
     - hostPath: /var/run/docker.sock
       containerPath: /var/run/docker.sock
diff --git a/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml b/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
index 29311b5ff..36c4c3277 100644
--- a/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ variables:
   ARTIFACTS_FOLDER: "_artifacts"
   HELM_BINARY_PATH: "helm"
   HELM_EXTRA_VALUES_FOLDER: "/tmp"
-  KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.30.3"
-  KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_VERSION: "v1.30.0"
+  KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.30.4"
+  KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_VERSION: "v1.30.4"
   RKE2_VERSION: "v1.30.3+rke2r1"
   KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_AWS_REGION: "eu-west-2"
   RANCHER_HOSTNAME: "localhost"
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ variables:
   TURTLES_PATH: "turtles/rancher-turtles"
   TURTLES_REPO_NAME: "turtles"
   TURTLES_URL: https://rancher.github.io/turtles
-  CPI_IMAGE_K8S_VERSION: "v1.30.0"
+  CPI_IMAGE_K8S_VERSION: "v1.30.4"
   RANCHER_REPO_NAME: "rancher-latest"
   RANCHER_ALPHA_REPO_NAME: "rancher-alpha"
   RANCHER_URL: "https://releases.rancher.com/server-charts/latest"